Brazil booked their place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Paraguay in Sao Paulo on Wednesday, marking the Selecao’s first win under new head coach Carlo Ancelotti.
The narrow triumph not only sealed Brazil’s qualification for the tournament but also ended a sluggish run of form, which included a goalless draw against Ecuador and a 1-0 defeat to Paraguay in the reverse fixture. Ancelotti, seeking a fresh response from his squad, made three changes to the starting lineup, notably recalling Raphinha.
Despite the adjustments, Brazil continued to show signs of struggle in the attacking third. Their best chance in the opening 30 minutes came when Vinicius Junior failed to convert a low cross from Matheus Cunha. Paraguay also threatened, with Juan Cáceres narrowly missing the target with an acrobatic effort.
Brazil gradually took control of the match, testing Paraguay’s defense with increased pressure. Goalkeeper Carlos Fernandez made crucial saves to deny Raphinha and Bruno Guimarães, but the home side finally broke the deadlock in the second half.
Though only their second win in six qualifiers, it was enough to extend Brazil’s perfect record of appearing in every World Cup since the tournament’s inception in 1930, 23 in total.
Paraguay, who had gone unbeaten in their previous nine World Cup qualifiers, now need just one point from their remaining two matches to secure a spot in their first World Cup since 2010.
Ancelotti’s men will now look to build momentum ahead of next summer’s tournament in North America.
Written By Rodney Mbua
